Pilfer proof display box



2, 1965 e. K. NICHOLSON ETAL 3,

PILFER PROOF DISPLAY BOX Filed Feb. 2, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS 15 20 18 GARNET K. NiCHOLSON JACK N. MORLEY 1965 e. K. NICHOLSON ETAL 3,163,192

PILFERYPROQF DISPLAY BOX Filed Feb. 2, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEN TOR S GARNET K. NICHOLSON JACK N. MOR EY United States Patent ()fifice 3,168,192 Patented Feb. 2, 1965 3,168,122 PILFER PRGGF DISPLAY BOX Garnet K. Nicholson and Jack N. Morley, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignors to Union Carbide Canada Limited, a corporation of Canada Filed Feb. 2, 1962, Ser. No. 170,636 6 Claims. (Ci. 206-4524) This invention relates to display boxes for displaying merchandise such as radio batteries, and has as its principal object a display box which is pilfer proof.

It is another object of the invention to provide such a display box which also has provision for ready removal of the merchandise for sale to a buyer.

Yet another object is to provide such a display box which is of sufficiently rugged construction to permit its shipment or storage without damage.

According to the invention, the foregoing and other objects are attained by a display box which comprises a container, a cover hingeably mounted thereto and a display panel. The display panel is secured to the container and has a locking tab which engages the cover and holds it in a closed position so as to protect the merchandise in the container against pilferage. The locking tab is adapted to be disengaged so that the cover can be rotated to an open position and the merchandise removed from the container for sale to the buyer.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display box embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the display box shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of the display box of FIG. 1 shown packaged so as to be transported;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modification of the display box shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another modification.

Referring now to the drawing and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a display box embodying the invention which is suitably made of cardboard or the like. As there shown, the display box 10 includes a container 11 for the merchandise to be displayed and a frame or easel 12 for supporting the container 11 in a display position. The easel 12 is preferably of a collapsible type and has a supporting leg 14 which in the display position is held in place by locking panels 16 and 18. When the display box 10 is to be shipped or stored, the easel 12 is adapted to fold flat in position against the container 11, the locking panel 16 being provided with a fold line 20. The easel 12 including the leg 14 is fastened to the bottom 22 of the container 11 suitably by an adhesive, the leg 14 being adapted to be r0 tated into its supporting position as best shown in FIG. 2.

The display box 19 also includes a cover 24 which is hingeably mounted to the front end 26 of the container 11 suitably by means of a flexible strip of tape (not shown). The cover 24 also has a transparent window 27, suitably of an acetate film, which provides full visibility of the merchandise in the container 11.

At the rear end 28 of the container 11 is a display panel 30 which may be utilized to advertise the merchandise in the container 11. At its lower portion the display panel 30 has a punched-out, tongue-like locking tab 32 which engages and holds down the rear end 34 of the cover 24. The display panel 30 may be secured to the rear wall of the container 11, for example, by a series of folds which may be used as separators for providing compartments in the container 11.

The display box It in its packaged form suitable for shipment or storage is shown in FIG. 3. In the packaged form it will be noted that the display panel 30 is positioned over the top open end of the container 11 and the cover 24 is positioned over the display panel 30. To assemble the display box 19 into its display position, the cover 24 is lifted at its rear end 34 so that it rotates about the front end 26 of the container 11. The display panel is then rotated and set up in a vertical position. The cover 24 is rotated back to its closed position and the locking tab 32 is pressed out from the display panel 30 to fit over the rear end 34 of the cover 24. The easel 12 is then set up by pulling out the locking panels 16 and 18 and rotating the supporting leg 14 into its position for supporting the container 11 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It will of course be understood that the display box 16 can be used without the easel 12 and that the container 11 can be suitably supported by any other means conventionally used in the art.

It will be seen that when the display box It is assembled into its display position the cover 24 is locked in place to the container 11 by the locking tab 32. When it is desired to obtain the merchandise in the container 11, the locking tab 32 must be disengaged so that the cover 24 can be rotated to an open position. The display panel 30 must be rotated back in order to disengage the locking tab 32. This additional step is a prerequisite to rotating the cover 24 to an open position when the merchandise is to be removed from the container 11 and thus discourages pilferage.

In FIG. 4 a modification of the display box just described is shown. In the display box illustrated, a cover 42 having a transparent window 43 is hinged at one side 44. A display panel 46 is secured to the rear wall 48 of the display box 40 and has a locking tab 50 which functions in the same manner as described hereinbefore.

In FIG. 5 a display box 51 having a two-piece cover is illustrated. In this modification a pair of covers 52 and 54, each hingeably mounted to the opposite sides of the container 56, is shown. A locking tab 58 in the display panel 60 engages both covers 52 and 54 and holds them in a closed position. If desired, two locking tabs, one for each cover could also be used.

It will be appreciated that many modifications of the display box described herein are possible and will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the cover for the display box may be made completely of a transparent material.

What is claimed is:

1. A pilfer proof display box for displaying merchandise comprising the combination of a container, a cover hingeably mounted to one edge of said container and a display panel, said display panel being mounted to another edge of said container and having at least one locking tab positioned therein and adapted to engage and lock said cover to said container when said display panel is in a substantially upright position so as to protect the merchandise in said container against pilferage.

2. A pilfer proof display box for displaying merchandise comprising the combination of a container, a transparent cover hingeably mounted to one edge of said container, a display panel mounted to an edge opposite thereto and means for inclinably supporting said container; said display panel having at least one locking tab positioned therein adapted to lock said cover to said container so as to protect the merchandise in said container against pilferage 3. The display box of claim 2 wherein said cover is made of an acetate film.

4. A display box for displaying merchandise comprising the combination of a container, a cover hingeably mounted to one edge of said container, a display panel mounted to an adjacent edge thereto and an easel, said display panel having at least one locking tab positioned therein adapted to lock said cover to said container, said easel being secured to the bottom of said container and having at least one supporting leg and at least one locking panel to support said container in a display position so,

that the edge having said display panel mounted thereto is raised.

5. A display box for displaying merchandise comprising the combination of a container, a pair of covers hingeably mounted to opposite edges of said container, a display panel mounted to an edge therebetween and a collapsible easel, said display panel having at least one locking tab positioned therein adapted to lock said covers 6. The display box of clairn 5 wherein said windows 5 are made of an acetate film.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Davidson Oct. 27, 1908 FOREIGN PATENTS Norway May 2, 1961 

2. A PILFER PROOF DISPLAY BOX FOR DISPLAYING MERCHANDISE COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF A CONTAINER, A TRANSPARENT COVER HINGEABLY MOUNTED TO ONE EDGE OF SAID CONTAINER, A DISPLAY PANEL MOUNTED TO AN EDGE OPPOSITE THERETO AND MEANS FOR INCLINABLY SUPPORTING SAID CONTAINER; SAID DISPLAY PANEL HAVING AT LEAST ONE LOCKING TAB POSITIONED THEREIN ADAPTED TO LOCK SAID COVER TO SAID CONTAINER SO AS TO PROTECT THE MERCHANDISE IN SAID CONTAINER AGAINST PILFERAGE. 